The Only One
by E.V. Black
Summary: 20 years later in Tokyo, Japan, the Mew Mews are dead and an old ally arises from the past to bring one girl to light. A girl to fight the same force that killed the Mew Mews.
1. Prologue

The Only One

**The Only One**

A Tokyo Mew Mew Fan Fiction

**Prologue**

Twenty years ago in the city of Tokyo, Japan, a project was created. It surrounded the discovery of alien life that once lived on Earth. Along with this alien life, a substance dubbed "Mew Aqua" was found with the fossil of Chimera Anima. These Chimera Animas were supposedly the pets of the aliens and did their bidding. The project had nearly gone down in flames years before that due to the Chimera Anima's resurrection. The only son of the scientist who had founded the project, Ryou Shirogane, brought back the project. This time with full force.

In the year 2001, six different DNA beams were sent out among the city of Tokyo. The beams contained the DNA of endangered animals from around the globe. The DNA beams would only work in people who had a special sort of DNA code that complied with the beams. Six girls were chosen who had the special DNA code and stepped forth hesitantly one by one to accept their duties as super heroines.

Their one enemy was the race of aliens that once lived on planet Earth. The aliens were jealous of the humans after they had taken over Earth, once their home planet. They soon migrated to another planet where they lived in peace for some time. But the destruction of their planet came and they turned to another planet. The planet was bitter cold and not much better than their last home. The evil tyrant leader of the aliens rallied together aliens who supported the cause to pollute the earth and take back their old planet. The leader was named Deep Blue.

After a seemingly endless battle against the tyrant leader, one of the super heroines finally defeated Deep Blue, who shared the body of the boy she loved. Later another new girl appeared; she was the sixth heroine. She along with the others defeated a new enemy that called themselves the Saint Rose Crusaders. These girls were Ichigo Momomiya, Mint Aizawa, Lettuce Midorikawa, Pudding Fong, Zakuro Fujiwara, and Berry Shirayuki.

These six girls faced the ultimate battle against an unseen force and met their end. The Mew project had been temporarily displaced. Now, twenty years later in the year of 2021, the project has been resurrected.

One girl will stand against this unseen force. One girl will save humanity.

One girl named Chi Bara.


	2. Chapter 1

Chapter 1

**Chapter 1**

Honestly, I hate people.

I've known that forever. I definitely found myself feeling that more than ever when I stepped foot into my new school. My school? A fancy schmancy school called the Academy of the Restful Souls. How spooky is that? I could deal with the uniform; it was exactly like the uniform that Yuuki Cross wears in the anime Vampire Knight (which is my favorite anime). The only difference is that we're not allowed to carry guns or any other type of weapon. And I'm not a prefect.

When I stepped into the school, kids were already rushing off to their classes. A few lingered to talk to one another and then headed off. I glanced at my watch and realized that I would have to get up earlier if I wanted to be on time. The school itself, like its name, was very calm and serene. Maybe "Restful Souls" did fit it. I glanced down at my schedule and tried to find the room number that matched the number on the paper. All the kanji was confusing, considering I had recently learned to speak Japanese from my private tutor. I was able to find the hallway where my class was. As I was walking down the hallway trying to find the room, I heard a commotion just up ahead.

I smirked, thinking, _So much for the "Restful Souls" thing._

I glanced around the corner of the hallway and saw a group of boys with a girl in the middle. And the girl didn't appear to be very happy to be there.

I walked closer and heard their taunting.

"…so big, don't ya?"

"I don't…know what you mean," the girl choked out softly.

"Aw, is the little mouse scared?" said another boy.

The third boy chuckled. "Maybe we should—"

"_Ohayo-gozaimasu, senpais," _I called out. I stepped out from around the corner. The boys glanced at me and smirked.

"_Ohayo," _said one back in a shaking voice. He was laughing. The poor girl looked frightened.

I came up to them and pulled the girl away.

"Come on, we better get to class…_what's your name?_"

"_Hohoemi. Saito Hohoemi."_

"Come on, Hohoemi. Let's get to class."

I glanced at the senpais out of the corner of my eye as I pulled Hohoemi away. Hohoemi clung onto me, fear glittering in her eyes as she looked back at the senpais. They didn't look very happy. In fact, they began to follow us. I shoved Hohoemi behind me and turned to face them.

"Do you guys have a problem?"

I took a hesitant step back as they approached me. They towered over me. The three sneered at my size. I was scared but I knew what I was doing. I've dealt with these kind of people before.

"You new? I haven't seen you around here before. What's your name?"

"Like I'd tell you that," I spat.

I turned but he grabbed my wrist and pushed me up against the wall. His hands ground my wrists uncomfortably into the wall, twisting them. The guy, who seemed to be the ring leader, came close to my face.

"You're cute. Maybe you should come with me…" The hand that he had placed on my waist slid down lazily to my hip. The sleaze ball.

Irritation got me. I kneed him in the groin. He sank to the ground. I ran a hand through my curled hair and glared at the other two. They advanced on me. I punched one in the nose when he attempted to pinch my butt and kicked the other to the ground. Hohoemi watched with adoring eyes, having sunk to the ground helplessly. I glanced at her; I couldn't help but pity the girl a little. Teachers ran into the hallway to see what the commotion was about and widened their eyes. I had a leg balanced on the back of the last boy who I beat up.

"You…you saved me," Hohoemi squeaked. She threw herself at me and wrapped me in a hug. I fell onto the ground. Her long black hair swirled around in my face. _"Arigato-gozaimasu!"_

She opened her eyes and jumped to her feet. She bowed deeply to me and looked up at me with frightened eyes as I got to my feet. Her pretty face was pale from her fear.

"I don't know what you're so scared about," I said. "I'm not gonna beat you up."

Hohoemi shook her head wildly and she stared past me. I glanced over my shoulder. An important-looking man tromped up through the hallways. Students peered out of the classroom doors at me and the man. His bald head shone in the fluorescent lighting.

"Who's he?"

"_The vice principal."_

"Oh damn."

"And this young lady is one of our finest here," finished the vice principal. He glanced at her in concern. "What in the world were you thinking?"

Hohoemi stayed silent and looked down at her hands. I swallowed and glanced at the vice principal; this girl needed to stand up for herself.

"She was being bullied by three seniors. I just so happened to be walking by. I walked away with Hohoemi, but they proceeded in touching me inappropriately. You see, sir, I had no other choice but to fight back."

I patted Hohoemi's hand uncomfortably. She caught my eye and smiled to me in thanks. I pulled away my hand and stared at the vice principal, awaiting his reaction. He appeared to be deep in thought. He sat straight in his chair and nodded in what I hoped was understanding.

"I understand. I'll have a word with them."

We were dismissed. Hohoemi grabbed my hand and held it joyfully out the door.

What a fan girl she was.

After a stern lecture from the vice principal, I was let out of the office. Because I had a good record, they decided to let me off this time. I knew that the next time something like this happened it wouldn't be as…tolerated. As we stepped out of the office, I was attacked by Hohoemi by a barrage of fast-paced _arigatos _and deep bows all the way to my classroom. Coincidentally, Hohoemi and I shared the same first class.

I gave the teacher my pass. She looked me over coldly and waved me and Hohoemi to our seats. I sat next to her. It was torture. She chatted to me as the teacher gathered her materials and began class. She became instantly quiet when the teacher held up her hand for silence. The class, having heard about the fight, intended to stare at me for the rest of the period. I wanted to rip out all their eyeballs, but I sat there calmly and watched the teacher as I learned Geography.

Class let out and Hohoemi was hanging off of my arm. Kids stared at me and whispered and giggled. Hohoemi was pathetic.

"…and that was so cool! Can you teach me how to do that?"

"No. Get off."

I shook her arm off and walked away. She caught up to me and was about to open her mouth when someone blocked my path. It was an overly tanned girl with died blond hair and tons of makeup on. I raised an eyebrow. Her hips swayed as she strolled over to me. Her friends giggled and stared at me blatantly. Her head was held high as if she were the queen of the school. I knew the type.

She bowed and rose with a graceful smile made just for me.

"_Ohayu-gozaimasu. Watashi no namae wa Daisuke Daidai. O-namae wo kiite-mo iidesu-ka?"_

Hello. My name is Daidai Daisuke. May I ask your name?

I smiled. Other girls surrounded her. _She must be a well-liked person_, I assumed.

"_Hai. Watashi no namae wa Bara Chi."_

Yes. My name is Chi Bara.

"You're new, huh?" She hooked my arm through hers and led me away from Hohoemi. "Let me show you around. Away from the _freaks_."

I jerked my arm out of hers and took a few steps away.

"You're a bitch for picking on others less defenseless than you, you know? Your name suits you. You _are_ a bitter orange. You're probably just _jealous_ of her."

I smirked. A few kids in the hallway laughed. Daidai's too-tanned face pulled down into a frown. Her friends giggled.

"I won't be forgetting this, _Bara_."

"No problem, _Orange_."

I snickered and the girl stomped away with her friends. I turned around with a sniff. I was surprised to see Hohoemi deep in a bow.

"_Arigato-gozaimasu," _she murmured and glanced up at me with grateful eyes, _"Chi-san."_

I walked away rolling my eyes.

"Sure."

I glanced at her out of the corner of my eye. She scrunched up her face as if she was holding in a secret she needed to tell.

"Chi-san! I want to be your friend!"

I turned around and raised my eyebrows at Hohoemi.

"Get lost, Smiley-girl."

I walked away to my next class. She sank down on her knees and burst softly into tears. I ignored her.


	3. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

After school let out at twelve o'clock (it was Saturday, so it was only a half-a-day), I decided to wander around town a bit. I had my school bag swung over my shoulder; it wasn't that heavy. I had textbooks but I kept them in my locker. No use lugging them around all day. I could hear rapid conversations in Japanese everywhere I went. I glanced at all the different people around me. Gothic Lolita, tanned girls, school girls…there were so many. Japanese music pounded from cafés and stereos that people carried around with them.

I placed a hand to my stomach as it growled. Was there any place around here to eat that wasn't overly expensive?

I came to a nice park and went inside. I sat down on a bench for a minute to catch my breath and to breathe in the sweet smells of nature. I laid my head down and closed my eyes. It was so nice there. But not as many places were as nice anymore. I had heard, since the year 2010, that the polar ice caps were slowly melting because of the increase in UV rays. That was mostly because of the greenhouse effect produced by our cars, factories, and other crap.

Come to think of it, I had seen pictures of Tokyo twenty years ago. It didn't look much different now than it did then. Sure the technology of the world was better, scientists were finding new ways to recycle and save the world, plus what once used to be third world countries twenty years ago were now second world countries. The only war that was going on was between North and South Korea, but they were pretty much keeping to themselves (or so I heard).

I heard something. I opened my eyes. A crowd of giggling school girls departed from a café. A pink café. I grimaced; I hated pink. I held my complaining stomach and shrugged. Just because it was pink didn't mean it had bad food.

I walked up to the café and opened the door. A few girls sat around at different tables and chatted amongst themselves. Soft pop music played in the background. I sat down at a free table and looked over the place once more. It didn't seem bad…yet.

A waiter came over to me once he was finished pouring drinks for a few other girls. He set down a menu in front of me and was off once again. I glanced at the menu; chocolate…chocolate…any chocolate? Ah, chocolate. They had so many desserts. I was drooling over the menu before I realized it and caught myself just in time. I had a BIG sweet tooth.

I looked over the lunch specials for Saturday and noticed that the name of the café was Café Mew Mew. How cutsie. As I tried to decide between cheese ravioli and a fancy looking sandwich, I watched the waiter (he was the only one there) zip back and forth from the kitchen and the table gracefully. It appeared he was experienced at what he was doing. Finally the waiter came over to me and held up a pad of paper and pen in each hand.

"What can I get you?"

"Cheese ravioli for me please. I'd also like some chocolate milk if you have any."

The waiter, Ren (as it said on his name tag), nodded and was off. Ren zipped around; it was then I noticed that he was wearing skates to get around the café so fast. I smirked to myself. He came up with my order within five minutes of taking in. I had to admit to myself that I was impressed. Ren's short black hair flew behind him as he left my table. That reminded me that my mother and father would no longer be paying me an allowance since I was fifteen. They expected me to get a job right away and earn enough money to pay the bills. I don't know why in the world they would care. They're too busy fighting their heads off.

I dug into my cheese ravioli hungrily and sipped at my chocolate milk. When I was finished, I ordered a slice of all chocolate cake (made with dark chocolate, my favorite). I went crazy inside as Ren skated over and set it on my table. I picked up my fork and took a bite of the cake. It was the most heavenly cake I had ever tasted. The chocolate rivaled Hershey's. I slowly ate my chocolate cake, savoring the taste. It had been months since I had last eaten chocolate.

When I was finished I slammed down some yen and departed from the café.

As the young girl walked from Café Mew Mew, a camera in the doorway watched her every move. It zoomed in on her and analyzed her appearance. The man leaned in to better look at the picture.

"Could this be her?" asked the man's son.

"It could." He inserted a black hair from the girl into a tube. The computer whirred. "I'm analyzing her DNA and…she's a match. It's her."

"When will you shoot the beam, Father?"

"In good time, son. We need to watch her first. It's been twenty years since I last found a match." Dr. Ryou Shirogane leaned forward to watch the girl. "And I won't give her up."

I locked myself up in my room that night. I could hear my parents having their things unpacked by our new staff. Mother was directing _precisely _(it had to be "precisely") where her things were to go. Father was taking care of things in his study downstairs. I lay on my bed and slipped my headphones over my ears. I turned on my mp3 player and listened to some J-pop I had bought from a music store earlier that day. I swung my legs back and forth in the air as I lay on my stomach.

I heard a low murmur through my music. I turned off my music and took off my headphones. Someone was knocking on my door. I set my mp3 down on my giant bed and strolled over to the door. I ran a hand through my mussed black curls, unlocked the door, and opened the door. There stood a young Japanese maid.

"_Hai?"_

"_Moushiwake-gozaimasen, Chi-sama. _I need to clean your room."

"_Ii-desu-yo. _Come in."

I grabbed my mp3 off my bed and strolled over to my Microsoft NZ8 computer. It was the highest technology that Microsoft sold. At least my family was rich enough to afford only the best.

The maid sang under her breath what sounded like a traditional Japanese tune that I didn't know as she vacuumed my floor. Then she rearranged my bed and took my dirty clothes to be washed.

"_Arigato," _I said politely and with a smile.

She nodded and headed out the door.

_If only there were anyone to talk to, _I thought. _Someone decent._

I turned off my light and slipped into a nightgown. I buried myself under my covers; the cold of winter seeped into my room despite the house's heating. I thought about Ren and Hohoemi. I shouldn't have left her like that. She deserved better. But I didn't care. Maybe Hohoemi could be a friend, a better part of me reasoned. She wanted to and it would be easy enough to talk to her. I closed my eyes and thought of nothing.

With empty thoughts I drifted off into a dreamless sleep. I always dreamt of nothing.

I opened my eyes Sunday morning to have sunlight peeking in through my shades. I closed my eyes and shifted over to my other side. I slept in that morning and when I woke up and went to the bathroom, my curled black hair was mussed. I ran a brush through the curls and wishfully hoped that it would straighten them out. No luck. They hung there in thick curls. I shrugged; I was too lazy to really care about preparing my hair, looking good, straightening it, or all of the above. Somehow between my parents' wealth and my laziness, I still managed to look good.

I lifted my shades and allowed the morning light to flood in. I disdainfully looked outside at the nice weather; I wished it were raining. Then it would better fit my mood. But, again, I failed to care. I knew that I would end up enjoying today.

I dressed in a lacy black skirt that reached my knees. I wore a filmy white blouse to top it off along with some of my favorite black gothic boots that I had bought in a mall back in the United States. I glanced in my bedroom mirror and gave a small smirk. I plucked a pin off of my dresser and pinned back some of my thick curls. My curls framed my pale face quite nicely; my green eyes seemed brighter that morning. Maybe it was because I had gotten a good sleep that night. I was nearly positive that it was that.

I swept down the staircase and into the dining room for breakfast. My mother and father were nowhere to be seen. The servants stood at attendance and smiled at me politely. Knowing my parents they were probably busied with their work. Who was I to complain? With a pang of loneliness I sat down at the table and I told one maid what I wanted for breakfast. Some fruit, toast buttered with margarine, and a cheese and bacon omelet. I ate my breakfast slowly when it was served to me fresh and hot. I swallowed the food lifelessly and tastelessly in my mouth.

Once I was finished I told the servants that I was going for a walk. They didn't question what I said and merely nodded at my request. I escaped my prison and walked faster and deeper into Tokyo. I explored the city. All the time I felt something watching me. Every time I glanced over my shoulder there wouldn't be anything there. I was taught to trust my instincts when I was trained in martial arts. This was definitely not nothing.

I found myself at the same café I had discovered the day before. I turned my head to the side and smiled. It was actually a welcome sight; the one thing that didn't change in my life. I entered the café; because it was late morning, there was hardly anybody there. The place was nearly empty. The waiter from before, Ren, glanced up at me and squinted.

"You're the girl from yesterday."

Very flattering, I thought.

I shrugged. "_Ohayo-gozaimasu. _My name is actually Chi, for your information."

He raised his eyebrows from behind the register.

"Are you serious?"

"As serious as global warming. My full name is Chi Bara."

Ren nodded in recognition. "I've heard of the name. The wealthy family from America, right?"

"Right."

"You don't look any different."

"My father is Japanese and my mother is American. My father chose the name for me because he believes that 'blood is thicker than water.'"

"Don't we all believe that? My name is Ren. Ren Shirogane. Nice to meet you."

"So you work here? Is this your father's café?"

"Yeah, pretty much. I wished more boys came here, but I should be glad we get any business as is."

I smirked and glanced around at the pink décor. "Well, with this style, all you're gonna get _is _girls."

Ren actually laughed. I couldn't help but laugh along with him. He was nice. Nicer than most guys I had met. As I talked more with him about the café, we sat down and talked together about him working there. Our topic of conversation shifted from our favorite foods to music. I kept myself withdrawn and let him do most of the talking. I liked learning about him; he was easy to talk to. I was hanging onto every word he said. Nobody came in while we talked, which was sheer luck.

All the while I talked with him, I felt my loneliness melt away.


	4. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

The next morning I woke up to the sounds of fighting.

I shoved my pillow to my face, but it only managed to muffle the sounds and not drown them out. I hoped out of bed and opened the door. I thumped down the hallway and into my parents' room, where the noise came from. I slammed the door open; my parents didn't glance at my intrusion.

"Margaret!" my father shouted in English (probably so that the servants wouldn't eavesdrop). "I told you not to go into my study! Now I have to resort all of my papers because of you."

"Hiro, I don't know what you're thinking," my mother snapped, "but we bought this house _together_. I have just as much right to that study as you."

"You never go in there. You hate books. It's my life!"

"We're _married_, Hiro! Don't I matter to you? Don't I?"

My father was about to shout back when I interrupted.

"Can't you guys ever stop fighting?" I spat in English. My hand quivered where it was clenched the doorknob. My head was bent; my messy black curls spilling over my face so that they couldn't see the pained expression I wore. "I'm _sick _of this."

I didn't look back as I ran into my room and got dressed. I slipped on a pair of black jeans and a black blouse. I brushed out my curls; they bounced defiantly back into place. I ran outside, my music player in my pocket. I didn't hear anyone call my name when I left. No one came after me. My heart ached; I wished they would.

I ran and ran. I ran through Tokyo and pushed past people with quick apologies. Tears trickled down my cheeks. I came to the same park from the day before and collapsed on a bench. I buried my face in my hands; a few of my tears dropped onto the pavement below. My crying was silent. What were these empty tears worth? They would never stop. I had been crying for years and years and still they fought. I sniffed; my shoulders trembled.

"Hey, are you okay?" asked a soft voice.

Oh no. It was him. He saw me and I was crying.

I raised my face from my hands and glared at him. There was Ren, standing next to me with a god-to-honest look of compassion on his face.

"I'm…I'm fine."

I didn't tell him. They were so many reasons why I could, but others why I couldn't. Those were secrets. Just like a certain dark secret I held locked deep within my heart that I tried so hard to forget. It would never go away.

"You don't look fine. Care to tell me?"

"Why're you even here anyway?" I snapped.

"I'm on my lunch break. I decided to come out here and get some fresh air. I saw you. Simple as that."

"It's never simple," I laughed bitterly. I buried my face in my hands. "God, how I wish it were simple."

"Why are you here then…Chi, was it?"

I nodded. "This was the only place I could think of. The only place where I can have peace."

I saw Ren smile and stare off into the distance. I raised my head from my hands and glanced at him. The sunlight made his black hair shine with tints of red and maroon. I caught myself and glanced away. What was I thinking?

"I know what you mean, Chi. This place is always peaceful. In fact this is one of the few places in Tokyo where there's still nature intact."

"I wish the rest of the world could be this nice."

I wiped away my tears on the sleeve of my blouse.

"If only," Ren said. "Our world is dying. There's nothing we can do to stop it."

"Stop it!" I grinned. "You're making me feel even _more _depressed than I already am."

Ren grinned in turn. "Ah, but I got you to smile. Smiling is good for you. Besides who likes a grump? Smile. You look pretty when you do."

I caught my breath. _Did he…?_

I glanced at him, but he had already headed back up to the Café. I touched my face with a pale hand. Pretty…? Me? Wow…

That was a first.

I sat there for a few hours and just thought. Long ago the tears had dried on my cheeks and my depression had dulled down to a numb ache in my chest. I stared into space, studiously scrutinizing the details of the trees and the plants that nature had so graciously provided for us. I wondered yet again why we would destroy our own earth when it was this beautiful.

The answer was all too simple.

My stomach groaned with hunger and I rose from the bench and walked up through the gates to Café Mew Mew. As I entered, Ren glanced up at me with an apparent look of surprise.

"You're still here?"

"I have nowhere else to go," I answered. I shrugged and sat down. "Besides…I have money and I'm hungry."

"That's a good enough reason for me," Ren quipped.

He swung right over to me on his skates and whipped out a pen and a pad of paper.

"So…what'll it be?"

"Just a turkey sandwich on whole wheat and a glass of milk. I'm not up for anything fancy."

"Chocolate milk?"

I smirked. "Knock yourself out."

He nodded and breezed off to the kitchen. Within a few minutes he delicately placed my sandwich and chocolate milk in front of me. He gave me a quick grin and sped back off to the kitchen. I downed my lunch easily within a few minutes and glanced up at Ren with a smile. He smiled right back at me and flew away with my dishes. I paid cash right up front, allowing him to keep the change for himself. He lit up with another grin.

"Hey, how old would I have to be to get a job here?" I asked nonchalantly.

"Probably fifteen."

"You're fifteen. How did _you_ get the job?"

Ren glanced at me for a second. "My dad's the owner."

"That explains a lot. Especially the roller skates. What does your dad do?"

"He's a scientist. Biologist, actually. I'm interested in science as much as he is."

I raised a skeptic eyebrow at him. "If your dad's a scientist, then what's he doing with a place—" I motioned to the pink-themed café. "—like this?"

Ren shook his head and smirked. "I should've known that that was coming. I don't know exactly. He never bothered to tell me."

"He must be quite…interesting."

Ren sensed the change in my voice and chuckled to himself.

"Boy, you wouldn't believe how interesting it _gets _with him around."

"What _is _your dad like, anyway?"

"Interesting is one word to describe him. Another word is 'devoted.' He's serious about his work, but because he retired from his job at the institute he worked at when I was a kid, he can spend more time with me. And, unlike most dads, he wants me to choose my own future. He really is a great guy."

His face contorted somewhat when he finished speaking.

"What is it?"

"He's just…overly sarcastic at times. It can be too much to handle sometimes. Don't get me wrong, he's a good guy! He keeps to himself a lot…"

"Sounds like my parents."

"What about your parents?" Ren asked.

I waved my hands in protest.

"I-it's nothing. Seriously!"

Ren simply shrugged and turned away. My face blazed red; he was so stubborn sometimes.

"My parents fight. There."

I crossed my arms. He turned to me with a smug smirk on his lips. I stuck my tongue out at him childishly. He tricked me! He got what he wanted. Gah, now I officially hated him!

Just as if he were reading my thoughts, he lifted my face towards his so he could look at me properly. My face still blazed, but this time for a different reason. He smelled like cookies and sugar. It was so pleasant.

"Is that what you were talking about, _Chi-san­_?" he murmured in a low voice.

I swallowed, having a VERY hard time breathing. His smugness had faded into concern for me. I couldn't pry my eyes away from his…this was so strange. A new feeling awakened within me.

"I-I…I…," I stammered uselessly. He was…beautiful. "I…yes."

I gave in, thinking, _Better to give him what he wants now. Stupid, beautiful boy._

I nearly chuckled at myself. He was probably more beautiful than me (cue the pounding vein on the forehead oftenly seen in manga when a character is _seriously _pissed). But, for some reason, I enjoyed his beauty. Looking at him, he didn't even realize the affect he was having on me. He didn't know of his beauty. Another strange urged welled up in me besides the stuttering. I wanted to touch his gentle black hair, to wind my hands up in it…

I snapped out of my reverie, realizing that only a moment had passed and not an hour. I turned my head away from him (so as not to be charmed), forcing him to drop his fingers.

"That's all I wanted to know."

"I…I need to go."

I turned around and walked to the door. Ren caught my wrist in his hand; on a whim I glanced back, forgetting not to. His beauty was dazzling and I caught my breath once more.

"Why are you in such a rush?"

"I realized that I have homework to do," I lied easily.

Before he could answer, I snapped my hand back from his grip and strolled leisurely out of the café. I didn't look back at him to see his reaction, but I think I had pretty much stunned him.


	5. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

**Chapter 4**

Ryou Shirogane strolled out from the back kitchen. He glanced at his son standing there appearing stunned in the doorway.

"She left?"

Ren glanced back at his father and nodded. "Isn't it about time…?"

Ryou nodded reluctantly. "The one that killed them has come back. It's time."

A great power underneath the earth's crust stirred. Breath that was black smoke clouded the only light that flooded through the ceiling of a cave. The rest of the cave was black with darkness. Heavy rasping gasped through the silence and a pair of red eyes glared up at the light from the darkness.

"_Dragon's Eye, show me the above."_

An orb rose into the light. It was black in the center and grew lighter into a blood red on the outer rim. The red and black swirled together and muddled into a sharp brown. The red eyes carefully watched. One scaly red hand reached out weakly to touch the orb and there came a sighing from the darkness.

"_One power to be unleashed. Such power. I will make it mine!"_

In the orb's brown color swirled the faint image of Tokyo. The image faded and the orb receded back to its red and black coloring. The red eyes from within the darkness closed and a rasping sigh released.

I was miles away from the café. I stopped against a high fence and caught my breath. I wondered how badly I treated Ren. He lingered in my mind, making me confused. Why did my breath hitch every time I thought about him?

My eyes widened in realization. _Could it be that—?_

The earth below my feet trembled horribly and I fell to my knees. There were screams all around me. Disoriented, I glanced up at the sky will blurring eyes. A storm swirled, the clouds dark as smoke. My head throbbed from hitting it. The earth gave another violent shudder and more people screamed. Holding my pounding head, I dragged myself to my feet and squinted to the sky. What I saw caused disbelief to shoot icily through my veins.

This was no normal earthquake

From a distance in the darkness, there came a faint cracking. The cracking grew louder and louder until something burst from the road in front of me. People shrieked at this. My heart pulsed slowly and calmly in my chest. There was a roar through the dust cloud as it settled among the ground and a giant lizard pulled itself from the bowls of the earth.

The lizard roared and reared its scaly red head. Something flapped and spread out into the air. That's when I realized that those were wings; this was a dragon. The wings were thin and transparent, veins running through the skin. Its horns were black onyx, like its eyes. Its scales were a deep blood red. The dragon waved its black spiked tail around and it pinned me to the fence behind me. One of the spikes drove deep into my side and blood dripped out. The dragon swung its tail away and I dropped like a doll onto the ground. Blood dribbled from my side where I lay.

There were garbled voices around me as I lost blood. I groaned and fluttered my eyes weakly. A soothing voice cooled my burning pain; those spikes must have been poisonous. It burned, a raging fire in my side. I cried uselessly and a hand stroked my side. Something cool settled over my burning wound and I sighed. I opened my eyes to see a dark figure above me through the smoke and dust.

"_You must…get up," _the voice whispered gently. He placed something in my hand and curled my fingers around it. _"You must fight."_

"_I can't. I'm dying. I'm useless. Have someone else fight." _I shook my head. _"Anyone but me."_

"_You _must _fight! This is your destiny and you must accept it! You have the power…" _ The figure faded away. _"…now use it."_

I pried open my eyes and uncurled my fingers. Before I could see what it was, my body was lifted into the air by the dragon. It eyed my blood and looked at me hungrily. Before it could do anything, a beam of light shot out through the air and into me. My burning side healed at the same time a feeling of light lifted my heart. I noticed that the beam shot into my heart. The dragon dropped me to the ground in fear. I caught my self when I fell (which was only a few feet in the air) and rolled to a stop on my side.

I opened the hand that I had curled into a fist. Inside my fist was a silver pendant with a black crescent moon that was turned upwards.

"_You must fight."_

I swallowed and opened my lips.

"_Power Pendant Mew Mew Blood! Metamorphosis!"_

**Note to readers: Chi's transformation song is Kuroi Torikago (Black Birdcage) by Japanese artist Kanon Wakeshima. I also combined both English and Japanese transformation announcements.**

A cello played as black energy swirled around me. Black bat wings wove gently from my back. Bat ears replaced my normal ears.

A blood red corset top covered my upper lower torso. I raised my arms over my head and black gloves settled on my arms, laced together with black fishnet. I rose a foot into the air and black knee high boots formed on my feet. Fish net stockings wound up to my bathing suit-like bottom that attached to the corset, formed by this black energy. A garter settled itself on my left leg where it could be seen. It was blood red with black lining on the outsides.

A short black skirt swirled around my legs, attacking to the corset top. Laces intertwined the corset together. Puffed sleeves appeared on my shoulders and another one on my leg; they were lined with black fabric. My silver pendant hung high on my neck and was secured by a blood red puff choker lined with black fabric.

Once the transformation was complete I settled back onto the ground. A broken piece of shiny metal against the ground showed my reflection. I looked major weird (but cute). The red eyes were what freaked me out the most. But the outfit I didn't mind as much; it was sort of Gothic Lolita style, which I've always thought was so cool.

I widened my eyes in shock and barreled right out of the way. I glanced back to see that a column of fire searing the place where I _had just been standing_. I swallowed my fear and blinked. I glanced up at the monster and narrowed my eyes. The super hearing with these ears was incredible. The dragon reared itself for another attack. I brace myself; instinctively I raised my hands above my head. Something solid fell into my hands and I drew the object down so I could see it.

It was a sword so red that it was black. The blade was faint red and transparent. The hilt, which I gripped tightly in my hands, was so red it was black. I raised the swords and took off from the ground with my mighty black bat wings. I flapped in front of the dragon. It glared at me. I glared right back at it.

"Screw you, dragon. _Blood sword, activate!"_

The sword hummed with power and I swiped it at the dragon's scales. The blade grazed the scales and pierced into soft flesh. There it appeared to burn its skin. I smirked; finally some payback for what it had done to me. The dragon roared and swished its tail at me angrily. I reared my body and dodged its deadly tail. Its blow, instead of hitting me like it should have, hit the side of a building. Its side crumbled in on itself at the impact.

I settled to the ground, enjoying the strange feel of the power of my blood sword. The dragon appeared to smirk at me. There was a throbbing through the air and the dragon disappeared. In its place was a young man with black hair that shone red when the light touched it. His long hair was tied back behind him. He wore a dark red overcoat and a black top and pants underneath. A triangle blazed orange-red on his forehead before fading into black.

"So you are the one," he murmured to himself. He touched to the ground and walked towards me. He reached out a hand to my sword. I pulled back. "Such power."

He cupped my face within one firm hand and forced me to look at him. His skin was warm enough to the point of burning.

"What are you?" I spat.

An amused sparkle ignited in his eyes.

"I have a name, my dear. I am _the Dragon Ryuu._ Ryuu, if you please. And I have proposition for you, pretty one."

"I'm not going to listen to you, _baka_."

"Such harsh words…join me. I can help you harness your power. I can help you control it."

It was my turn to smirk. "Who says I don't already know how?"

I activated my blood sword in my mind. The sword turned black. I pushed him away and in one swift brought the sword down through his head and body. The sword may have gone through him, but its power sent him flying back. He caught himself by snapping open his dragon wings (which I hadn't noticed because they were so neatly tucked into his back). He caught the wind and smiled at me. Ryuu flew at me and clutched my throat. He choked me and curled his fingers. Black claws snapped out, wet with that burning poison.

I brought my leg up kicked him in the groin. He thumped to the ground, clutching his pelvis and breathing rapidly. Ryuu glowered up at me and his eyes shone a dangerous red. He thrust his hands in front of himself and a blast of fire sent me flying back. It wasn't enough to burn me but enough for me to realize that his power was of equal or greater status than mine.

It was going to take a lot to beat this guy.

I snapped opened my wings, but not before being rammed into the side of a building. I cringed in pain; I opened my eyes into thin slits. He rose with his dragon wings flapping into the air right in front of me.

"I give you my offer one last time," Ryuu said with controlled impatience. "Fight with me or perish. That is your choice."

I tightened my grip on my blood sword. This dude was _seriously_ getting on my nerves.

"And what if I choose otherwise?"

Ryuu crossed his arms in front of his chest.

"It would be a waste of great power on your behalf. Think of what you could do with me."

I smirked. "I see. It's like we just met and you want me to marry you. We haven't even been on the first date yet." I tensed the arm holding the blood sword. The sword hummed to life and glowed red. I charged at him and caught him by surprise as I raked the point of my sword down into his warm flesh. "And you're rushing me."

Ryuu cried out in pain as the point of the blade pierced his heart. His wings halted their rhymic beating against the strong winds of the storm and he plunged to the ground, cracking the concrete when he hit it. I flew down to the hole that he had created with his fall. The dust settled from the cracked concrete. He lay there half-awake; his head rolled around in absolute pain. I yanked my sword from his chest and grimaced at the blood on it.

His blood was black.

Steam rose from my blade; I banged my sword against the ground and watched as droplets of his blood dribbled onto the pavement. The black blood ate through the ground like acid. I glanced at Ryuu. Exactly what was this guy? Poisoned spikes and claws, black blood that burned like acid…this was like something out of a manga. And, believe me, I _read _manga. I also watch anime.

This was freaking me out.

There was a gurgling sound and I glanced down. Ryuu was opening his eyes; they glowed a deadly red. Black blood dribbled from his wound and his mouth. He dragged himself to his feet, first stumbling. He looked at me with burning hatred, and yet awe, in those eyes.

"_You…are…powerful…young one. Ugh."_ He placed a hand to his chest and choked on his burning black blood. _"Tell me…the name you…ugh…have been g-given."_

I was at a loss for words. Somehow my mouth formed an answer for me.

"My name is Mew Blood. You will not escape me."

Ryuu chuckled bitterly and coughed. _"Battle me…some other time. For now…farewell."_

He chuckled once more and snapped his fingers. He disappeared in a poof of black and red smoke. The storm continued on, calming the atmosphere. People peeked out from the buildings and pointed at the damage done. And, of course, me.

I stepped back and felt my guise shimmer and then fade away. I glanced at my hands. The beautiful black gloves there with the red bows were gone. I was just me again. Just Chi.

As people started to wander out into the open, suddenly feeling that it was safe again, I knew that it would never be safe from here on out. Something big was going down. Something that felt older than I was. That much I figured. This enemy was powerful and he wouldn't hesitate to hurt people to get it. He would bring down the entire world to get it if he had to.

My black curls swept around my face in the moist wind. Lightning cracked sharp as a whip in the sky. I knew how to use the weapon; I knew what I was doing. You're probably asking yourself, "Why the hell isn't she freaking out already?"

Truthfully?

I was more focused on how much more work I had to do now.


	6. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5**

He brushed his blond hair away from his eyes and fiddled with his glasses. Dr. Shirogane watched the footage that had been caught on one of the tiny cameras he had his son, Ren, plant around the area in which Chi had transformed and battled. He hadn't expected the villain to reveal himself to her right away.

He also saw how calm and brooding Chi's eyes were. With Momomiya Ichigo it was different; he closed his eyes and remembered the fear and awe that she held because of her newfound powers. And such power that Chi had. She wasn't like Ichigo in any way except their bond of being Mew Mews.

"Father."

Dr. Shirogane opened his eyes and turned away from the monitors in his chair.

"Good job for setting up the monitors for me, Ren," Shirogane said.

"How well did she fight?"

"Better than I would have expected." He glanced at the monitor out of the corner of his eyes. "From her."

"How did she react?"

"Calm. Very maturely, actually. A normal person would have been overexcited."

"Dad, a normal person would've _freaked out_. Especially with bat ears and wings popping out from their bodies."

Shirogane smiled at his son. "As _you_ put it." He nodded. "I guess you're right. _Arigato_, Ren."

Ren smirked back. "_Dou-itashimashite_, father."

Ren bowed respectfully to his father; Shirogane stood from his chair and bowed deeply, his gratitude apparent in that one gesture alone.

^*^ ^*^

I loosened my hair from its pin. It fell around my face freely, curling gently. This time I didn't mind all the thick curls I had. I was warm and comfortable, and having my hair loose around my head made me feel even more so. With my blankets bundled around me and my light dim (it was automatic, so it would turn off the second my eyes shut), I held my pendant in my hand.

"_This is your destiny and you must accept it!" _I closed my eyes. _"You must fight."_

My fist tightened around the pendant. The metal of it remained cold in my hands despite my warm body. If I had had a destiny, it would have revealed itself before now when I was younger. Before my parents quarreled (though there had never been one time I had ever seen them get along perfectly). Before my brother… I grimaced. Too many memories were being dredged up.

The point was if I was someone I would've known it. As far as I knew, beyond the rich girl exterior I held, I was nothing. As mature as I have been told I am and as cold in feeling as I knew I was, nothing was there and that there was my destiny. The future held nothing for me.

But as I opened my eyes slowly to look down at the pendant I held tightly, I loosened my grip. Maybe, just maybe, I wasn't nothing. Maybe this, coming too soon but not too late, was my future. I was literally holding it my hand, too. How ironic. I laid my head on my pillow and shut my eyes, holding the black and silver pendant tightly in my hand. This time it was a reflex. If this _was _my future, I didn't want to lose it or it be stolen from me. I wanted to grip onto it tightly.

The light went out as soon as my head touched my fluffy pillow and my room was plunged into darkness.

There was darkness. I couldn't see anything. I watched from not eyes of my own but someone else's.

"_A new one has arisen, Master."_

The voice that spoke was soft and definitely male. Red eyes opened in the darkness.

"_She is strong, Master."_

"Just because of that, we have to be careful. She isn't like the others."

_The others?_

"_The others were weak. They put up a fair enough fight, but they couldn't survive until the end."_

"You don't know the battle. You weren't even born yet."

"_Forgive me for my ignorance, Master. I spoke rashly."_

"You have a point, Alazar. They were nothing. But this one is something."

"_I assure you that she is something else. Something stronger, Master. Believe me when I say so." _

"I'll believe you when you prove it, Alazar."

I hovered somehow in Alazar's mind. There was irritation there but also a fierce will to prove himself. To prove that he was right. It was all strong what he felt. He was also lonely and had nothing besides his master. Another reason why he wanted to prove himself.

The scene faded.

I combed my hair and allowed my black curls to bounce naturally around my pale face. I wore my school uniform and my pendant around my neck on a chain of pure silver. A hungry thirst parched my throat. I wanted something.

I dashed downstairs with my schoolbag swung over my body and my music player in my hand. I stuffed the earplugs in my ears and listened to music from dark pop star Ai Hitomi (her real name is Takashi Hitomi). Hitomi was known all around the world for her great voice, pretty looks, and great personality. She wasn't like most stars these days who were stuck up and pompous. From what I knew and saw, Hitomi really cared about what went on in the world.

Her voice blasted in my ears to her latest hit 表面的なものです(in English, Skin Deep).

The burning in my throat grew harsher and I grabbed some milk from the fridge and poured it into a clean glass. I swigged it down quickly and grabbed a fiber bar with kanji in big lettering all over it and ripped off the wrapping. I threw the wrapping into the recycler and shoved the bar down my throat. The burning was still there. I wanted something more. One of the Japanese staff bustled through the kitchen, cleaning up the mess I made and at the same time ignoring that fact that I even existed.

I heard the beating of his heart in his chest. I ran my tongue over my teeth at the sound of the steady thud of blood as it rushed through his veins…

I snapped out of it, nearly knocking over my chair in the process. The servant pretended to take no notice and continued with his duties. I placed a hand to my flushing cheek. Bat ears and bat wings…red eyes and long canine teeth. The vampire bat of course. How could I be so stupid? How was that even possible? It was an endangered creature and rare to find these days. The only places one could really see them was in the zoos, and even that wasn't authentic.

My throat continued to burn. I dashed out of the house and into the city. I ran to school, glancing at my watch and fearing at the same time of being late. I was going to be quite early actually. I was the first one to the open gateway (the Academy was only a mile down the road from my house and into the city). I walked into the school. I took off my music player and shut it off, shoving it into my school bag.

The entrance path I walked on was thickly bordered by trees and flowers. The entire school was like one gigantic park, which made it very pleasant for the students to eat their lunch outside without the harsh sun glaring in their eyes. I shivered, feeling autumn coming already. Good thing I had worn my black knee highs.

I touched my throat gingerly; it still burned. I shuddered to think about drink blood. If I was going to drink blood, where would I get it in the first place? My fingers bumped against the pendant around my neck and something flowed through me. It was a sense of relief that told me that somehow, _someway_, it would be okay. I thought of the transformation. The crimson eyes, the bat ears and wings…so many details shoved into one exhilarating, and frightening, moment. I shivered and clutched my schoolbag closer to me.

"_Chi-sama! CHI-SAMA!"_

For some reason, dread grated against my insides.

I stopped and turned around. Saito Hohoemi ran towards me with a big smile on her face. I raised an eyebrow at her skeptically. She had recovered _pretty quickly_.

She smiled even wider at my skeptical eyebrow and bowed deeply.

"_Ohayo-gozaimasu, Chi-sama! Ogenki desu-ka?" _she chirped breathlessly.

Good morning, Chi! How are you?

I shrugged. _"Genki-desu."_

I'm fine.

I glanced at her. "Why are _you_ so happy?"

"For one thing, I'm here with my savior!"

"You aren't…you aren't mad at me?"

"I know you weren't in the best of moods last time. I forgive you." She linked her arm through mine as we walked on the entrance path towards the empty school. "Also…" She glanced around and then back to me. "Yesterday, you wouldn't believe it. In downtown Tokyo…there was a monster! A dragon I heard. It nearly destroyed the neighborhood completely."

_Ew boy, _I thought. _Could we be any more conspicuous?_

"And…there was this girl. I heard she was half bat, half human. Maybe a mutant. She fought against the dragon and destroyed him!"

Hohoemi was shaking in excitement now. I had to kept a firm grip on her to keep her from falling down onto her butt.

"And this was yesterday?" I asked nonchalantly, all the while thinking, _THIS WAS ON THE FUCKING NEWS?????_

Hohoemi nodded exuberantly. "You should have seen her. It was all over the news yesterday and it's the big story today. She was _so_ cool!"

_Maybe not the coolest, _I thought. _I need a name for myself. _

"Hmm…interesting."

"Where were you yesterday, Chi-sama?"

"Grrr…Hohoemi, just call me Chi, okay?"

"I _want _to call you Chi-sama!"

She rubbed her head against my arm…lovingly.

"Chi-san," I corrected.

"Chi-sama!"

"_Ch-san."_

"_Chi-sama!"_

"Fine," I gave in, getting annoyed. "Chi-sama."

"YAY!" Hohoemi shrieked in my ear.

I grimaced. "Yay. Fun indeed."

(Cue the martyred expression on my face.)

It was from then on that I guessed we were friends.

"Uh…what's this, Chi?"

"A square root. Here, let me show you."

I took her paper from her and explained that square roots were simply the result of the same numbered multiplied together twice.

"Oh, that makes sense." She smiled brightly. "Thanks."

It was late afternoon and Hohoemi and I were doing our homework in the park that was adjacent to Café Mew Mew. Hohoemi's excited chatter had worn down a bit enough for me to see that she was serious about her studies.

She was shy, that much I could see from the beginning, but there was another, deeper side to her. She was smart and could understand things well enough, but she didn't put a lot of effort into things though. I noted, from her clothes, that she came from a family with good money like I did. I scrutinized her outfit carefully while I was actually pretending to study.

The uniform was custom fit to her. I could see it in the way it brought out her figure just right. The buttons and the styling seemed very much Hohoemi. Maybe she was wealthier than me. What a thought.

"So…what's your family like?"

"My family is nothing special, though my little brother does play the violin real well. He's been playing it since he was three."

"How old is he now?"

"Six."

"Wow. That's young."

"Not really. I started playing the piano when I was two."

I think then my eyes must have bugged out. If they did, she was too caught up in a math problem to notice. I shook off my disbelief one moment before she glanced up at me and smiled.

"I'm finished. Those were pretty easy. Thanks for your help, Chi-sama."

"I try." I paused and then spoke. "What kind of background does your family have, if you don't mind me asking?"

"Oh, I don't mind the slightest. My father owns a pretty big company, but not as some others in Japan. Because of this…we are, to be truthful, quite wealthy. And you?"

"My dad is Japanese and he went to the United States years ago to settle some business with his own company, which is very small but profitable. He met my mom, an American, and they got married and had me."

"Ah…so you're American."

"It explains the green eyes."

"What's it like over there?" Her eyes were pleading. "Please. Can you tell me?"

"It's different in culture. The Japanese are more honorable in manner."

"Oh…okay."

I stood from where I sat in the grass. "I'm finished my work. See you, Hohoemi-san."

She gave me a small smile and a brief wave before returning to her work. I started down past the Café, but began to pace in thought near the entrance. The burning was still there. It was growing steadily stronger. What the heck was I going to do? I couldn't just randomly nab people right off the street and such them dry! I felt so helpless.

I turned and headed into the Café to clear my head.

^*^ ^*^

It was after school. Chi walked past Café Mew Mew, glancing at it as if deciding whether or not to acknowledge its existence anymore. She shrugged and rearranged her schoolbag on her shoulder. She kept walking until she could no longer be seen. Dr. Shirogane's cameras had caught her image carefully, analyzing every movement and gesture.

"Ren."

Shirogane's son poked his head into his father's dark room.

"Yeah?"

"Bara Chi."

"What about her, Father?"

"Since she's one of us, you know what to do."

Ren nodded and pattered back to the kitchen.

Dr. Shirogane smiled to himself, playing the tape of the battle between Ryuu and Chi over again.

After pacing for some while outside, I finally went into the Café. I greeted Ren with a wave, which he enthusiastically returned. I dropped my schoolbag onto a nearby empty and strolled over to him. He smiled as I leaned onto the counter.

"Slow day?"

"It's Monday."

"I thought Monday would have been busier."

Ren shook his head. "No. Everybody wants to just go home and chill. It's around Wednesday and Thursday that we get the most life around here."

"And you have to do everything for yourself?"

"My dad cooks in the kitchen," he said defensively.

"Oh. Well, I mean besides that. You're the only one working the tables."

"Yeah…say. Chi, do you need money?"

I shrugged. "I get enough from my allowance. Why?"

"Well…I'd like to offer you a job here."

"Wait, Ren…did I hear you right?"

"A job. We need more help here at the Café."

I blinked in disbelief. "I-I-I…I don't need a job. I don't even _want _one. I am no use."

He smiled, amused at my reaction.

I frowned. "This is not _funny_, BUSTER!" I growled.

"Did you see me laughing? I wasn't laughing."

"Oh yeah… 'I wasn't laughing.' Nah, nah, nah… _right_."

The last thing I needed was to be some strange, bloodthirsty superhero girl. The next best thing? A JOB I DIDN'T EVEN ASK FOR.


End file.
